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About IHEP

The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization committed to promoting access to and success in higher education for all students. Based in Washington, D.C., IHEP develops innovative policy- and practice-oriented research to guide policymakers and education leaders who develop high-impact policies that will address our nation’s most pressing education challenges.

For more than 20 years, IHEP has been a leading voice championing college access and success. Our staff includes some of the most respected professionals in the fields of public policy and research. IHEP is committed to equality of opportunity for all and helps low-income, minority, and other historically underrepresented populations gain access to and achieve success in higher education. This focus is the major driver of our four policy priorities:

Our Mission

IHEP is committed to improving college access and success in higher education for all students—with a special focus on underserved populations—by providing timely research to inform public policy decisions.

What We Believe

IHEP embraces a vision in which all people, regardless of background or circumstance, have the opportunity to reach their full potential by participating and succeeding in higher education.

To fully achieve this vision, the postsecondary community, as a whole, must do more to meet the needs of students who are underserved by the educational system. Institutional leaders and policymakers at all levels must become engaged and must support efforts to dramatically enhance the quality of the postsecondary experience in ways that are relevant to the demands of the 21st century. Only with policies that open doors and stimulate innovation in quality education can we effectively address the needs of all 21st-century students—a growing percentage of whom are low income, students of color, and adults—pursuing new career pathways.

IHEP intends to push the postsecondary community to do more than tinker at the margins. We seek real change. Ultimately, IHEP's aim is to offer underrepresented students a real chance to access a quality, affordable education that not only transforms their lives, but also strengthens the fabric of society.